What happened after SmackDown went off air?

SmackDown Superstar Big E had a message for the WWE Universe after tonight's episode came to an end.

The July 16, 2021 edition of WWE SmackDown was a special one for fans as this was the first time in more than a year that any of WWE's weekly shows featured a live audience. The show was jam-packed with exciting bouts as well as the buildup to Sunday's Money in the Bank event.

The main event of WWE SmackDown featured a Fatal Four-Way match pitting Seth Rollins, Big E, Shinsuke Nakamura, and Kevin Owens. Rollins delivered a brutal Curb Stomp to Big E on a ladder and pinned him to score the big win. The Blue brand went off the air with The Messiah celebrating on top of a ladder while clutching the Money in the Bank briefcase.

Big E sends a message to the WWE Universe after SmackDown

A fan captured some footage after SmackDown went off air and the short clip was uploaded to Twitter. The clip shows Big E sending a heartfelt message to the WWE Universe. He spoke about fans being back at the show after more than a year and went on to thank them for their energy. Check it out below:

After #Smackdown @WWEBigE pic.twitter.com/kjv71MxtLF

— Bryant D. (@BDPhotography88) July 17, 2021

WWE held its final show with a live audience way back in March 2020 following which it had to move the shows to the Performance Center amidst the COVID-19 crisis. The shows were later moved to the WWE ThunderDome.

Here for this.#SmackDown pic.twitter.com/jmDx6JjGA6

— WWE (@WWE) July 17, 2021

The company did its bit towards presenting uninterrupted shows on a weekly basis, but the absence of live crowds was hampering the overall experience to a large extent. Tonight's SmackDown was a breath of fresh air for fans and there couldn't have been anyone better than Big E to send them home happy with a heartfelt promo.

What did you think of SmackDown tonight? Share your comments below!